Dr. S. Ayyappan, Director General, ICAR and secretary, DARE visited the Manasseri Fishermen Development Co-operative Society, Cochinowned boat ‘ Bharat Darshan’ at Cochin Fisheries Harbour to inspect the power block installed on board the vessel by CIFT under the Institute project ‘Resource specific large mesh purse seine for tuna and large pelagics in the Indian EEZ’. With the installation of the power block, the fishermen are able to haul up the net faster and are able to carry out more sets of operations on the same day which also has resulted in heavy catches.

Many purse seine operators have evinced keen interest in installing this hauling devices as this will reduce the labour intensity in the purse seine sector and will also be able to reduce the drudgery of the crew on board. The operations with the new power block installed in the purse seiner is extremely successful and fish catch has been substantially increased with less effort from the crew members. The new innovative technique is expected to revolutionize the fishery industry.

Dr. Ayyappan also visited another vessel belonging to the same Society at Cochin Fishing Harbour, ‘Bharat Sagar’ where the Institute has installed a hydraulic tuna long liner winch and setter under the new Institute project on ‘Responsible line fishing’. He was impressed with the concept of carrying out research on a participatory approach.